The Essential Guide to Jazz Dance

Dollie Henry, Paul Jenkins

• Publisher: Crowood
• Year: 2019
• ISBN:
  9781785006364
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Dance

Jazz dance and its inherent music is recognized as one of the original and most potent art forms of the last two centuries. From its African roots to our present-day global dance community, the jazz idiom has afforded a cross-fertilization with all other artistic, cultural and social representations within the arts industry, providing an accessible dance platform for dancers, teachers and creatives to enjoy both recreationally and professionally. The Essential Guide to Jazz Dance offers a practical and uncomplicated overview to the multi-layered history, practices and development of jazz dance as a creative and artistic dance form. It covers the incredible history and lineage of jazz dance; the innovators, choreographers and dance creatives of the genre; specifics of jazz aesthetic, steps and styles; a detailed breakdown of a practical jazz dance warm-up and technical exercises; creative frameworks to support development of jazz dance expression and aesthetic; performance and improvisation; jazz music and musical interpretation, and finally, choreographing and creating jazz works. With over 230 colour photos and a wealth of tips and advice, this new book will be an ideal reading companion for dancers of all abilities, dance teachers, choreographers as well as all jazz dance enthusiasts.

CHAPTER 1

AN HISTORICAL JOURNEY

The Roots and Lineage of Jazz Dance

IN THE BEGINNING, THERE WAS A FOUR-LETTER WORD KNOWN AS ‘JAZZ’

As you would expect of any great art form, the journey of jazz dance is complex, often surprising, but always inspiring and enlightening. Jazz dance did not just suddenly appear fully formed in our dance curriculums, or on the stage in musicals, theatre dance or even in pop music videos.

Understanding the history of jazz dance is vital for so many reasons. Without history (through which we acquire an understanding of technique, form and style), many dancers and practitioners have little to draw inspiration from, to inform their own development and further their practice. Historical and practical knowledge informs and connects each of us to a comprehensive understanding of the jazz dance idiom. This can only enable the dancer, teacher and choreographer a more precise understanding through which to deliver and execute the jazz dance aesthetic.

Research and knowledge through education and further professional training, is part of the package in gaining the essential skills and tools to become proficient in a chosen dance. This is no different for the jazz dancer. The more we are informed about an art form, the more we can be enlightened and inspired. As a dancer, teacher and choreographer, developing a greater appreciation and appraisal of the jazz lineage provides a superior resource from which to access and to apply one’s own individual jazz dance journey.

Melvin LeBlanc performing as ‘Adam’ from BOP repertoire Daughters of Eve. BAFANA SOLOMAN MATEA

At its root, jazz is a celebratory art form that stems primarily from the creative aesthetics and expression of African music and dance. The transportation of African slaves via the Caribbean then on to America, introduced African musical and cultural traditions, songs and dances to the cultural and social pathways of America. Added to the melting pot was the migration of the British, Irish, Scottish and other Europeans who settled in America, bringing with them their own cultural dance traditions of clog dances, folk dances and social step dances. From different worlds and from different circumstances the African aesthetic and elements of the European aesthetic fused and amalgamated to create the only original art-form of the twentieth century. Herein lies the true source, heart and soul of this amazing art form and vernacular that we call jazz dance.

The metaphoric tree and branches of jazz. Artwork and design by Camilla Rugini.

Metaphorically, the symbol of the jazz idiom is like that of an old tree: the roots through which this incredible organic art form has been able to blossom, producing many branches that continue to reflect the diverse and creative expressions that is the jazz idiom.

The jazz tree offers a simple guideline of the growth and expansion of the jazz dance (vernacular) and the journey of its creative partner jazz music. The roots of the jazz tree run deep, the origins of the jazz idiom have germinated and transported an organic and ever-growing expression, with each branch producing a new hybrid to the lineage and practice of the jazz art form.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS…

To be proficient in any specific or chosen art form, one needs to know the history, the journey of the specific creative expression and aesthetic in question.

Dollie Henry

THE RISING ROOTS OF THE JAZZ TREE

The roots of jazz dance can be seen as amalgamation of four distinct but differing cultural and social traditions.

1.The African roots

2.The Caribbean connection

3.The South American influence

4.The European infusion

The African Root of Jazz Dance

One of the main creative foundations of jazz dance derives from African traditional and ceremonial dances. The African dance aesthetic is evident through much of early jazz dance expression and forms the foundation for the aesthetic (technical) and kinetic (physical) expression of delivery. Music is the fundamental creative seed that drives the dance and interpretation of movement. Not forgetting that the purpose behind the African tradition is a collective expression through which the dance and the music are a natural extension and creative reflection of everyday life, real life.

Mecca Vazie Andrews displaying the African dance expression. Adam Parson Commonality Dance Company, Zurich, Switzerland. ADAM PARSON

Throughout Africa, all tribes have their own individual dances and traditions, which are passed down to each generation. Dance and music are not separated from everyday life; they are party to all sacred and social functions, and the creative underpinning of the community.

African dance is complete in its delivery. It is performed by the community to celebrate birth, weddings, death and the marking of rites of passage. Competitive dance (challenges/battles) is also part of the structure, the re-telling of ancestral history or poetry (griots) and finding a closer connection to God (spiritual). There is a great emphasis on the collective and the community, allowing for audience and performers to participate and contribute to the whole experience (inclusive). African dance is all-inclusive and is recognized and reflected as both a sacred and secular form of cultural and creative expression.

Regina Eigbe illustrating the athleticism of a jazz jump influenced by the African dance aesthetic.

The Physical and Kinetic Characteristics

African dance cannot be viewed as one simple form of dance expression. There are many differences between the tribal groups and regional dances of Africa, which dictate the dances’ physical aesthetic and delivery.

Each region of African dance has a specific emphasis on the physical expression and movement. For example, in Ghana, the upper body is a predominant feature within the physical movement. In regions such as Nigeria, the emphasis is accentuated through hips and pelvis. The African tribe of the Maasai are known for their athletic legs, jumps and elevation, and then there is the intricate footwork and hand clapping that is akin to the Akan traditions of Ghana.

African dance has three distinct attributes:

1.Polyrhythmics – the connectivity between the physical expression and interpretation of dance movement to the intricate, crossed rhythms and accents within the music.

2.Polycentrism – denotes the dexterity to subdivide the body movements, using differing parts of the body at the same time. This quality is aligned to the differing layers and sounds in the music and musical instrumentation.

3.Improvisation – the immediate expression of dance and movement without preparation, creating a spontaneous physical and emotional connection and individual creative expression to the music.

These are recognizable attributes in the physical expression of African dance. However, it is through the relationship to the music that the dance takes on another direction of energy, communication and connectivity. The core essence of African creative culture and tradition is through dance and music, which are innately and instinctively connected and part of everyday life.

Students learning African dance movement.

African dance is very versatile in conception and execution. There are no restrictions to the body and physical movement; therefore, African dance can be presented and performed in varying ways: from slow and controlled in movement (lyrical), to the most spontaneous and dynamic of movement, evolving through intuitive performance (improvisation). The dance can also be performed to show power and strength (warrior/tribal dances), to offering a peaceful transition in death and honouring the Gods (ceremonial and ring dances). This is bound together through acknowledging cultural traditions that strengthens the bond within the community (storytelling/singing/call and response).

The Caribbean Connection

The Caribbean geographically is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea that spans over the south-east of the Gulf of Mexico, east of Central America and north of South America. It includes the islands of Cuba, Hispaniola, Haiti, Jamaica, Grenada, Carriacou Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago and many others.

Caribbean dance evolved from complex influences, due to European colonization of the islands by the British, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch. It followed that the indigenous folk dances would certainly be influenced by European dance styles and music. The Africans, brought to work on the plantations, continued to hold on to their creative customs and drumming traditions, but also adopted the dances of the indigenous population on the Islands. The indigenous people of some of the Islands, called Arawaks or the Taino people, originated from mainland South America, but found homelands on the islands of the Caribbean. The traditional dances that are still observed on the islands include the kumina and tambu from Jamaica, the bele from Martinique and, from Haiti, the voodoo dances.

Calinda, dance of the Negróes in America. Artist François Aimé Louis Dumoulin.

Through the dances and music of the Caribbean, the direct lineage to the traditions and connections of African dance and music continued to live. Plantation dances, such as the bamboula, juba, voodoo, calinda and the chica, were slave dances performed on the plantations by both men and women.

European dances taken to the Islands include the quadrilles, square dances, cotillions, alongside the more courtly or classical dances of the time, such as the gavotte, minuet and sara...